This invention pertains generally to firearms and, more specifically, to a security apparatus for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges.
Over the years, there has been a continuous effort to improve the security and operation of conventional firearms. Improvements in electronics technology has allowed certain mechanical firing systems and components in firearms to be replaced by electronic components. For example, a mechanical trigger bar is displaced by an electronic solenoid in U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,085, xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIRING SYSTEM FOR TARGET PISTOLxe2x80x9d. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,153, for a xe2x80x9cFIREARM BATTERY AND CONTROL MODULExe2x80x9d, a firearm using conventional percussion primers incorporates a processor into its ignition system.
Electronics have also been incorporated into ignition systems for firearms that use non-conventional primers and cartridges. U.S. Pat. No. 3,650,174, for xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC IGNITION SYSTEMS FOR FIREARMxe2x80x9d, describes an electronic control system for firing electronically-primed ammunition. The electronic control of the ""174 patent, however, is hard-wired and lacks the multiple sensor interfaces of the programmable central processing unit that is found with the present invention. U.S. Pat. No. 5,625,972, for a xe2x80x9cGUN WITH ELECTRICALLY FIRED CARTRIDGExe2x80x9d, describes an electrically-fired gun in which a heat-sensitive primer is ignited by voltage induced across a fuse wire extending through the primer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,828, for a xe2x80x9cCOMBINED CARTRIDGE MAGAZINE AND POWER SUPPLY FOR A FIREARMxe2x80x9d, shows a laser ignited primer in which an optically transparent plug or window is centered in the case of the cartridge to permit laser ignition of the primer. Power requirements to energize the laser, as well as availability of fused and or laser-ignited primers are problematic, however. U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,056, for an xe2x80x9cELECTRONIC FIREARM AND PROCESS FOR CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC FIREARMxe2x80x9d, shows a firearm for firing electrically-activated ammunition having a cartridge sensor and a bolt position sensor. The technology of the ""056 patent, however, is limited to a firearm with a bolt action.
Much of the effort in recent years to integrate electronics into firearms stems from a desire to effectively restrict the person or persons who are able to operate the firearm. There have also been numerous attempts to incorporate external, mechanical locking devices such as keyed locks which prevent movement of the trigger or firing mechanism. The downside of such external locking devices is that they are often cumbersome and timely to disable, and thus impractical for use on the person or in situations where the firearm must quickly be readied to fire.
None of the firearms discussed or cited above disclose a security apparatus for an electrically fired firearm which evaluates a plurality of parameter signals indicative of a physical state of the firearm, as well as determining if an operator of the firearm is authorized to fire the firearm. The present invention is directed to such a security apparatus.
It is one object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges which evaluates a plurality of parameter signals indicative of a physical state of the firearm.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges which evaluates if an operator of the firearm is authorized to fire the firearm.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a security apparatus for use in a firearm adapted for firing non-impact detonated cartridges which reduces the potential for unintended discharge of the firearm.
According to the present invention, a security apparatus is proposed for a firearm adapted to fire a non-impact ammunition cartridge, the firearm including a trigger assembly manually actuated by a trigger member and an integrated backstrap module which houses an electronic firing apparatus for generating a firing signal. The security apparatus includes an input device for accepting and storing a plurality of parameter signals indicative of a physical state of the firearm, and a mode setting device for determining and selectively placing the firearm in one of an awake mode, a sleep mode and an authorized mode. The security apparatus further includes an enabling device for evaluating the plurality of said parameter signals and permitting the firing apparatus to generate and communicate the firing signal to the ammunition cartridge only when each of the plurality of parameter signals indicate that said firearm is prepared to fire and the mode device determines that the firearm is in the authorized mode.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent in the light of the following detailed description of best mode embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.